High-level UNGA80 Side Event hosted by SIOP and MSKCC
The International Society of Paediatric Oncology (SIOP) and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) will co-host a high-level side event during the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA80):
“Leveraging the WHO Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer to Accelerate NCD Progress and Leave No One Behind”
- Date and Time: Friday, September 26, 2025, 16:00 – 17:40 EDT
- Location: David H. Koch Center for Cancer Care at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (Board Room), 530 E 74th St, New York, NY 10021, USA
- Online: Livestreamed via Zoom
Supported by MSK Kids’ SNF Global Pediatric Cancer Program, St. Jude Global, Foundation S “My Child Matters”, and Childhood Cancer International (CCI), the event will highlight progress made under the WHO Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer (GICC) and outline the next steps needed to reach its ambitious 2030 targets: increasing global survival to at least 60% and reducing suffering for all children with cancer.
Media are invited to attend or arrange coverage of the event. Journalists will have the opportunity to:
- Interview leading experts from WHO, SIOP, MSK, St. Jude Global, and CCI.
- Access new insights from SIOP’s global workforce mapping and data initiatives.
- Hear first-hand perspectives from families and advocates shaping policy solutions.
- Cover updates on collaborative efforts to expand access to childhood cancer medicines and strengthen research capacity in low- and middle-income countries.
Key announcements and messages will include:
The side event marks a unique moment of celebration and inspired forward planning. For the first time, childhood cancer has been elevated to the highest political level through the 4th High-Level Meeting on NCDs (4HLM). Its outcome declaration, set to be formally ratified in the coming months, powerfully affirms Member States’ commitment to “Improve childhood cancer survival through scaling up interventions in order to achieve a survival rate of at least 60% globally by 2030, as proposed by the Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer (GICC)”.
Amidst this extraordinary momentum, the childhood cancer community stands ready to wholeheartedly sustain and scale up joint efforts to turn vision into reality for children and adolescents with cancer worldwide.
Agenda
16:00 – 16:10
- Opening remarks: “Milestones and New Opportunities to expedite the GICC Goals”
Dr Guillermo Chantada (SIOP President) and Dr Andrew Kung (Chair, Department of Pediatrics, MSK)
16:10 – 16:45
- Panel 1 “SIOP Global Mapping: Data to inform policy and Building the Childhood Cancer Workforce of Tomorrow”
Moderator(s): Dr Rejin Kebudi (SIOP Secretary General) and Dr Ira Dunkel (MSK, Pediatric Oncology, SIOP WHO- NSA Cmt Member)
Panelists: Dr Maite Gorostegui (SIOP Global Mapping), Dr Catherine Lam (St Jude Global), Dr David Abramson (MSK), Dr Joyce Kambugu (SIOP Africa President), Dr André Ilbawi (WHO)
16:45 – 17:20
- Panel 2 “The Case for Driving Equity through Transformative Approaches: The Global Access to Childhood Cancer Medicines Platform and SIOP Research Capacity Programme”
Moderator(s): Dr Maja Beck-Popovic (SIOP WHO NSA Engagement Committee) and Dr Nickhill Bhakta (St Jude Global)
Panelists: Dr Roberta Ortiz (WHO), Dr Liliana Vásquez (PAHO), Dr Carl Allen (SIOP PARC Programme Chair), Dr Shushan Hovsepyan (SIOP Global Health Network, Research and Innovations), Mrs Alejandra Méndez (Childhood Cancer International Chair Elect), Dr Claire Wakefield (SIOP Continental President Oceania)
17:20 – 17-40
- Closing Remarks followed by Networking Reception
“Conclusions and Re-affirming shared Commitments” by Dr Guy Fones (WHO), Dr Carlos Rodríguez-Galindo (St Jude Global), Dr Bente Mikkelsen (St Jude Global), Dr Guillermo Chantada (SIOP)
“This UNGA80 side event is a vital moment to bring the global childhood cancer community together with policymakers and partners. By showcasing progress and highlighting the gaps that remain, we can accelerate the impact of the WHO Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer and reaffirm our collective commitment to achieving its 2030 goals. SIOP is proud to work alongside WHO, MSK, St. Jude Global, CCI, and other stakeholders to ensure that every child, everywhere, has access to the care they need and deserve.”
Dr Guillermo Chantada
SIOP President
International Society of Paediatric Oncology (SIOP)
“The global challenge of childhood cancer knows no borders. Through shared science, dedicated research, and a collective commitment to collaboration, we can accelerate progress and deliver life-saving breakthroughs for children worldwide.”
Dr Andrew Kung
Chair of the Department of Pediatrics
Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK)
Media Invitation
Journalists are warmly invited to attend the event in New York or join via Zoom. The session will provide exclusive access to leading voices in paediatric oncology, WHO, St. Jude Global, and Childhood Cancer International, as well as lived experience perspectives shaping the global agenda.
RSVP required:
In-person attendance: [RSVP] by September 25, 2025, 10:00 EDT
Online attendance: [Register] for the Zoom livestream here.
Event Details:
What: UNGA80 Side Event – Leveraging the WHO Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer
When: September 26, 2025, 16:00 – 17:40 EDT
Where: David H. Koch Center for Cancer Care, MSKCC, New York
Online: Zoom livestream [Register]
Who: Organised by SIOP and MSK, supported by global partners
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